Sheet-registering mechanism.



H. A. MALEY.

SHEET REGISTERING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17,1913.

1,085,279. Patented Jan. 27, 1914.

Z BHBETS-SHEET 1.

cowmam VLANOGRAPN 410., WASHINGTON u c H. A. MALEY.

SHEET REGISTERING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNEH, 1913.

1,085,279. Patented Jan. 27, 1914.

2 SHEETB-SHBET 2.

a limtg UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY A. MALEY, OF BOSTON. MASSACHUSETTS.

SHEET-REGISTERING MECHANISM.

To (/ZZ zr/mm ft 222 my concern Be it known that I, Hnxnr A. MALE), a citizen of the United States, and resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sheet-Registering Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to paper-handling machines, and its object is to form and arrange the means for registering paper sheets in such manner that the registering will not be undesirably affected by variations of the angle of the sheets" edges or by lineal irregularities in the edges of the sheets.

()f the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 represents a top plan view of portions of a printing press and sheet registering devices in cooperative .relation to the press. Fig. 2 represents a top plan view of a folding machine by which a sheet after being printed, as by the press represented in Fig. 1, is folded and cut into smaller sheets, such as book pages. Fig. 3 represents a longitudinal section through thefolding machine, as indicated by line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. represents an elevation of front guides or stops for engaging the front edge of the sheet in the folding machine shown by Figs. 2 and 3. Fig. 5 represents a vertical section through one of the front guides or stops included in Fig. 4,. Fig. 6 represents a top plan view, partly in section, of one of the side registering devices included in Fig. Fig. 7 represents a section through said registering device in the plane indicated bv line 77 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 shows in horizontal section another side registering device of the folding machine, and includes in plan view a folded sheet engaged therewith. Fig. 9 represents a view similar to Fig. 8, showing a well-known side registering device hitherto used in piper-folding machines, the same being shown for the sake of comparison.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts wherever they occur.

In the printing of books it is customary to print on a large sheet suflicient matter for a plurality of book pages and to afterward fold and cut the large sheet so as to divide it into smaller sheets of the desired size for book pages. In following this method a serious objection is that the folds or creases and the cuts effected by the folding machine have been elsewhere than in the desired lines,

Patented Jan. 27, 1 914.

Serial No. 774,225.

with the result of causing the printed matter of the individual book pages to stand elsewhere than in the desired position on the book pages. This is because the edges of the large sheets vary both in the matter of angles and in the matter of irregularities in the edges.

In order to carry out my improved method so as to avoid the above-mentioned objection, I adjust the side registering devices of both the printing machine and folding machine so that they will coact with an edge of the sheet at a point in the line where one of the folds or creases is desired, to the end that the same point of the sheet will determine the register of the sheet in every instance, in both machines. Further than this, I provide the folding machine with front guides adjusted to engage the front edge of the sheet, before the sheet is folded. precisely at the points with which the front guides of the printing machine are adjusted to coact. This insures locating the first fold imparted to the sheet in the desired line.

In order to show the importance of adjusting the registering devices of the folding and cutting machine with reference to those of the printing press, I have shown by Fig. 1 certain elements of a printing press and the registering devices which are used in the press.

Referring to Fig. 1, a press cylinder is indicated at 10, and a sheet to be printed is indicated at 11. The sheet is carried to the cylinder by endless bands or tapes 12, according to the usual practice. edge of the sheet is registered, as usual, by front guides or steps 13, and the sheet is registered sidewise by a registering device 14 whose structure is standard except as hereinafter specified and whose operation is well known. The exception with reference to its structure is that it is adapted to engage the side edge 15 of the sheet only at a single point, the latter being indicated at 16. In order to limit such engagement to point contact, the shoulder 17 which engages the side edge is cut back, as indicated by a dotted line. so as to clear the side edge except at point 16. The purpose in cutting back the shoulder 17 is to provide clearance for a sheet whose side edge 15 is at an obtuse angle to its front edge, so that the shoulder of the registering device cannot engage the sheet at any point except point 16.

The front i This arrangement of the shoulder 17 provides clearance also for other irregularities in the side edge. It will be observed that the front edge of the sheet is concaved, a sheet of this character being shown for the purpose of illustrating in what manner the registering devices register the sheet, regardless of imperfections in the front and side edges.

After a number of sheets 11 have been printed they are arranged in a pile upon a support or elevator 20 of a folding machine such as that shown by Figs. 2 and 3. The sheets are fed from the top of the pile by suitable well-known feeding mechanism, which includes driven rolls 21, drop rolls 22 and endless bands or tapes 23. These bands or tapes carry the front edge of the sheet against front guides 2 1 which register the sheet relatively to the folding machine in precisely the same relation as the sheet is registered by the front guides 13 in relation to the printing press. In order to have the front registering in the folding machine identical with that of the printing press, the front guides 24L are adjusted to engage the same points in the front edge of the sheet as those which were previously engaged by the guides 13 of the printing press. For this purpose the front guides 24k are mounted so as to be adjustable laterally. They are supported by a transverse bar 25 which has a transverse slot 26. Each guide 24 has a shank 27 arranged in the slot, the shank having a screw-threaded stud portion 28 provided with a wing nut 29. The wing nut clamps the guide securely against the bar 25. Before proceeding further with the descrip tion, it should be stated that one of the novelties of my invention is the provision of these adjustable guides 24 in a folding machine. Folding machines have hitherto been provided with only a straight transverse bar for this purpose, which bar has given rise to varying positions of the sheets according to the irregularities of the front edge. For example, if the front edge of a sheet is convexed, it will rock upon the foremost point of the front edge which engages the transverse bar. Now by providing the separate front guides 2 1 the sheet cannot rock but will have a firm bearing at the two points which engaged the front guides 13 of the printing press. Each front guide is provided with a guard 30 which overhangs the sheet and prevents curling and buckling at the front edge. A brush 18 retards the sheet.

lVhile the sheet is being held against the front guides by the continuously moving bands or tapes 23 it is registered sidewise by a registering device 31. The precise character of this registering device is unimportant, but for convenience I have shown one which is substantially the same as that shown in Fig. 1. There is, however, a slight difference in the length of these two devices, but this is not important. The important thing in this connection is that the registering device 31 engages the side edge 15 of the sheet at point 16 where the sheetwas previously engaged by the registering device 1%. It is apparent now that the sheet is engaged by the front guides and registering device of the folding machine at the three points which were previously engaged for the same purpose in the printing press. The registering device 31 has a shoulder 32 for engaging the side edge of the sheet, this shoulder 32 being cut back at an angle similar to the shoulder 17 of the registering device 14C. As shown by Fig. 6, the registering device 31 has not been advanced into engagement with the side edge of the sheet, but it is apparent that when it is advanced it will engage the side edge only at point 16. Although the operation of this registering device is well known, a brief description will be of assistance. The device comprises a slide 33 over which the sheet travels. It also comprises a portion 3a which overhangs the sheet for the purpose of confining the sheet so that its side edge will coact with the shoulder 32. A bell-crank lever 35 is pivotally mounted upon the slide by a ful- 9 crum pin 36. One arm of the bell crank overhangs the sheet and is provided with a suitable gripping device 37 which is disposed to engage the upper surface of the sheet to clamp the sheet against the slide 33. The registering device is actuated by a reciprocating element 38 which is pivotally connected to the bell-crank lever 35. The slide 33 is mounted on a stationary support or guide 35). WVhen the reciprocating element 38 moves toward the sheet, it advances the slide 33, a portion of the bell crank lev'er abutting against the slide, as shown by Fig. 7, for this purpose. The forward move ment of the slide continues for a short dis tance after the shoulder 32 engages point 16 of the sheet, the sheet being pushed laterally thereby. The reciprocating element 38 is then reversed, with the result of first oscillating the bell-crank lever 35 to clamp the sheet against the slide 33 and then retract the slide bodily to shift the sheet laterally in the opposite direction. During this operation the frontedge of the sheet is held against the front guides by the continuously driven bands or tapes 23. Vhen the sheet has been registered sidewise it is folded on transverse line a by a folding device 10 of well-known construction and operation. Re ferring to Fig. 3, this folding device de scends from the position indicated by solid lines to the position indicated by dotted lines, and thereby depresses the middle of the sheet into engagement with two coopera tive continuously driven feed rolls 4:1. The

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first fold or crease of the sheet is thus formed and becomes the front edge, as will be hereinafter explained.

The feed rolls 41 advance the sheet into engagement with a curved guide or deflector 42 by which the direction of the sheet changed so that the sheet moves horizontally and enters between eoope 'ative driven bands or tapes 43. The sheet is carried forward by these bands or tapes until its front edge (now a st *aight t'old or craise) engages a front guide H. It is not necessary to provide front guides like those indicated at 24 for engaging the sheet after it has been folded. because the fold orerease is straight and tree from all irregularities and is not subjectto rocking upon its front edge. \Vhile the sheet is held against the trout guide ll-, a second t'olding device, indicated at 45. descends and folds the sheet along line 7) (Fig. 2), thus dividing the sheet into four parts and giving the sheet a double crease or fold for its front edge. The folding device 45 carries the front edge ot the sheet into engagement with cooperative driven teed rolls tti by which the sheet is t'cd against a second curved guide or deflector indicated at 47. This guide again changes the direction of the sheet so that the sheet moves horizontally and enters between cooperative bands or tapes +8. The driven bands or tapes 49 carry the new front edge of the sheet against a front guide 50. and while the sheet is in this position it is again registered sidewise preparatory to being cut along longitudinal lines c and folded along longitudinal lines (7.

The final side registering device indicated at 51. This device is substantially the same as that indicated at 31. As shown by Fig. 8. the shoulder 52 of this device is at an angle ubstantially the sameas the shoulder 32 ot' the device 31. The shoulder consequently engages the sheet at one corner only. this being one of the trout corners where the sheet is c eased. Fig. 9 is added to sho a side registering device as hitherto constructed. The registering device indicated at 53 in Fig. 9 has a shoulder 5-l t'or engaging the side edge of the sheet at an intermediate point between the front and rear of the sheet. As the angle of the side edge varies in ditl'erent sheets. the position of the sheet relatively to the registering device will vary to a corresponding degree. and the final position of the sheet after being registered will be determined by the angle of the side edge or by some other irregularity. The point 16 as shown by Fig. 2 is half way between the trout edge and the line a. This same point coincides with line 7) of the second told. and thereafter it is engaged by the final registering device 51. It is apparent now that the point 16 determines the side register in every instance, beginning with the side register in the printing press. This coincideuce insures uniformity and regularity of the side registering operations.

I have shown at 55 in Fig. 3 one of the folding devices by which the sheet is folded on one of the lines 1/. Fig. 3 also includes a portion of the original sheet in the act of being discharged, said portion being indiaited at so. "he element 56 includes eight plies ot' the original sheet. the same consisting of one of the portions defined by two adjacent lines c. w. or by one side edge and the adjacent line c of Fig. 2. the lines c as previously stated, being the lines on which the sheet is cut. The folding device 55 engages the sheet on one of the lines (I and depresses the four-ply sheet between two cooperative rolls. one of which is indicated at 57. This operation imparts the final 't'old along the line (7. and gives the discharged piece the approximate size of the book page. The folding device 55 and other devices ot' the same character are mounted upon a transverse rod 58 whose ends are mounted in vertically movable members 59.

A summary of the important points of my invention is as follows: The sheet is first registered by three predetermincd points with relation to the printing press. Two of these points are on the trout edge and one on the side edge. The sheet is then registered by the same points while it is in the folding machine. the trout guides and first side registering device of the folding machine being adjusted and adapted to engage the sheet at precisely the same points, whereby the sheet is positioned in the folding machine in the same relative position as in the printing press. The point of engagement for the side register coincides with the line of the second crease or told given to the sheet. and consequentlv is at one ot the corners of the sheet when the sheet has been folded twice. The final side registering device engages the sheet and determines its position by the corner with which the original point coincides. thus enabling the final side registering device to position the sheet with reference to the original point of contact for this purpose.

I claim:

1. In a paper-folding machine. a registering device "formed to have limited point contact with an edge of a sheet. means for folding the sheet to *ause one end of the fold or crease to coincide with said point of contact. means for otherwise operating upon the sheet. and lllPtlHS 't'or registering the sheet relatively to said operating means. the last-mentioned registering means being ar anged to Coact with said point of contact with which the first registering 1n *ans coacts.

9. In a paper-folding machine, a plurality of sheet-registering devices for acting successively upon an edge of a sheet, means for folding the sheet after the first of said devices has acted and before the second of said devices has acted upon the sheet, said registering devices being arranged to coact with the same point of the sheet.

3. In a paper-folding machine, a registering device adapted to have limited point contact with an edge of a sheet, means for folding the sheet substantially at right an gles to said edge, said registering device being arranged to coact With the sheet at a point out of line with the fold or crease imparted to the sheet by said folding means, means for folding the folded sheet on a line intersecting said point of contact, a second registering device, and means for further operating upon the folded sheet, said second registering device being arranged to coact with said point of contact to register the sheet relatively to the last-mentioned means.

a. In a paper-folding machine, a registering device adapted to have limited point contact with an edge of a sheet, means for folding the sheet on a line intersecting said ed e, a second registering device, and means for further operating upon the sheet, said second registering device being arranged to coact with said point of contact to register the folded sheet relatively to the means last mentioned.

5. In a paper-folding machine, two cooperative devices adapted to have limited point contact With an edge of a sheet, means for moving the sheet against said devices, a registering device for coacting with an edge of the sheet substantially at right angles to the edge first mentioned, means for folding the sheet'on a line substantially parallel to said edge first mentioned, said registering device being operative to register the sheet While the sheet is against said cooperative devices, a second registering device, and means for further operating upon the sheet, said second registering device being arranged to coact with the same point of the sheet as the first registering device, to register the sheet relatively to the means last mentioned.

6. In a paper-folding machine, a register ing device for coacting With an edge of a sheet to register said sheet, means for folding a sheet on a line intersecting the point engaged by said registering device, a second registering device for coacting with said point of the folded sheet, and means for further operating upon the folded sheet as registered by said second registering device.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature, in presence of tWo Witnesses.

HENRY A. MALEY.

Witnesses IVALTER P. ABELL, I V. Pnzzn'ri.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

